Iloilo continues to surge, claims 10th-straight PCAP win

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Iloilo Kisela Knights remained waxing hot and stretched their winning streak to 10-straight matches in the ongoing 2022 Professional Chess Association of the Philippines (PCAP) third conference tournament on November 9, 2022.

Iloilo demolished the PECA Executives, 16-5, and survived their Southern division rival team Negros Kingsmen, 2-1 (10.5-10.5), which ended in an Armageddon tiebreaker round.

The Kisela Knights kicked off their PCAP November campaign with a momentum-clinching win against PECA and immediately established the lead after the seven playing boards.

Iloilo’s three-board streak sparked their offensive rhythm in the blitz category courtesy of Karl Viktor Ochoa, WFM Cherry Ann Mejia, and GM Rogelio Antonio Jr.

It was the same story in the last seven playing boards as the Kisela Knights opened the rapid category with four consecutive wins that built a 7-0 lead.

Horizon Villanueva and NM Cesar Mariano then did the finishing touches and won the last two playing boards for the Kisela Knights.

The Kisela Knights then found themselves in a tightly-contested matchup with Negros as both teams failed to pull away in all the 14 playing boards.

The blitz category ended with a 3.5-3.5 deadlock the same as the rapid category with a 7-7 tie. NM Cesar Mariano had the chance to send Negros packing in the last playing board but Ellan Asuela had other plans and forced a deciding Armageddon round.

Negros went off to a rousing start after taking the first playing board but a clutch reverse sweep from the Kisela Knights kept their winning streak alive heading into the last phase of eliminations.

GM Antonio Jr. and Ochoa provided the last two huge wins in the Armageddon round and outlasted Bryle Arellano and Asuela, respectively.